Dental-floss holder.



Patented Feb. 27, 1917.

BOY CHARLES KLECKNER, 0F INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

DENTAL-FLOSS HOLDER.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, ROY C. KLECKNER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana,have invented certain useful Improvements in Dental-Floss Holders, ofwhich the following is a specification, reference being hadtherein tothe accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to improvements in dental floss holders, oneobject of the invention being the provision of a device of thischaracter which not only supports the spool or bobbin of floss, but alsoacts as a tool whereby the 4floss may be used to remove particlesbetween the teeth, the same being so constructed and arranged as topermit of the renewal of the cleaning portion of the floss as desired.

` A further object of this invention is the provision of a device ofthis character which will normally hold the floss in a taut position sothat the same may be readily manipulated and which will also presentahandled tool for properly supporting the spool, and for holding themembers thereof with the floss properly presented for ready use.

A still furtherobject of this invention is the provision of .a device ofthis character which is simple, durable and inexpensive in construction,and which is thoroughly efii- 'cient and practical in use.

In the accompanying drawings Iigure 1 is a plan view of the complete tooFig. 2 is a side elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is a cross section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Figs. 4. and 5 are detail views of the thread fastener and cutter.

Fig. 6 is a detail view of one of the terminals and the locking meansfor holding the floss in the slot.

Referring to the drawings, the main carrying member 10 consists of thetwo terminal arms 11 and 12 which are formed integral with the clampingconnecting member 13, the members 11 and 12 due to this constructionhaving a resilient tendency to separate so that in order to hold the same in proper spaced relation the retaining bar 14 having the aperturedterminals 15, is slidably mounted as indicated.

The member 12 is provided with a recess or channel 16 with the threadguiding bore or channel 17 longitudinally thereof and ter- Specicationof Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 27, 1917.

Application led .Tune 17, 1916. Serial No. 104,310.

minating in the slot 18 in the curved terminal 19, the-slot 18 beinginclined slightly so that the thread 20 will be held normally 'againstoutward movement.

The curved terminal 21 of the member 11 is provided with the slot 22 forthe reception and guidance of the free end of the thread 20, whileattached to the member 11 is the thread cutter and fastener 23 which asshown is p-rovided with the cutting edge 21 and with the threadreceiving hooks or terminals 25 and 26.

It will thus be Seen thatany movement of the retaining rod 14 toward thecurved ends 19 and 21 will permit the membeis 11 and 12 to separate sothat the thread or floss may be properly positioned before the bar ismoved to assume the position as shown in Fig. 1.

Mounted in the portion 13 of the device is a casing 27 which is providedwith the circumferential groove 28 for engagement with the portion 13 sothat such holder may be properly clamped in the position as shown inFig. 1 with the thread guiding hole 29 adjacent the inward end of thechannel 17 of the member 12.

Mounted removably within the holder 27 is the spool 30 which is heldrigidly in place by means of the removable clamping cap 3l.

This cap 3l threadedly engages the casing 27 and is providedkwith theknurled portion 32 to permit of the release thereof and also the releaseof the spool 30 so that the same will freely permit the removal of thefloss when it is desired to renew the portion eX- tended between thecurved ends 19 and 21 of the members 12 and 11.

The retaining bar 141 also tends to hold the holder 27 firmly clamped inthe portion 13 of the device, and when the cover 31 is securely in placeand the free end of the floss is fastened to the device 23, the portionof the floss suspended between the terminals of the members 11 and 12will be taut and can be readily manipulated between the teeth so astoremove any particles.

As shown in Fig. 6, the rotatable curved wire 33 is so mounted astocoperate with the thread receiving slot and the bar 14 to grip andhold the thread Within such slot.

What I claim as new is 1. A dental floss holder, includingamember havingtwo spaced terminals vprovided each with a thread guide, a thread holdercarried by said member, and means carried by one of the terminalsv forsecuring the free end of the thread with a portion of the threaddisposed between the free terminals.

2. A dental floss holder, including a member having two spaced terminalsprovided each with a thread guide, a thread holder carried by saidmember, a means carried by one of the terminals for securing the freeend of the thread with a portion of the thread disposed between the freeterminals, ,and a retaining member for holding the free ends of theterminals relatively to each other.

3. A dental floss holder, including a member having tworesiliently-connected and substantially parallel terminals, one of saidterminals being provided throughout itslength with a longitudinallydisposed thread guide, the free end of thev opposite terminal beingprovided with a slot to receive the free end of the thread, meanscarried by'said terminal for securing the free end of the threadthereto, and a thread holder mounted at the junction of the terminalsand frictionally held in place thereby. p

4. A dental floss holder, including a member having two resilientlyconnected and substantially parallel terminals, one of said terminalsbeing provided. throughout its ,length with a longitudinally )disposedthread guide, the free end of the opposite terminal being provided witha slot to receive the free end of the thread, means carried by saidterminal for securing the free end of the thread thereto, a threadholder mounted at the junetion of the terminals and rictionally held inplace thereby, and a retaining member slidf ably mounted upon saidterminals.

5. A dental floss holder, including a member having two resilientlyconnected and substantially parallel terminals, one of said terminals -Ibeing provided throughout its length with a longitudinally disposedthread guide, the free end of the opposite terminalbeing provided withIa slot to receive the free end of the thread, means carried by saidterminal for securing the free end of the thread thereto, a threadholder mounted at the junction of the terminals and frictionally held inplace thereby, said thread securing means being provided with aA cutter.

6.' A dental floss holder, including a member having two resilientlyconnected and substantially parallel terminals, one of said terminalsbeing provided throughout its length with a longitudinally disposedthread guide, the free end of the opposite terminal being provided witha slot to receive the free end of the thread, means carried by said`terminal for securing the free end of the thread thereto, a threadholder mounted at the junction of the terminals and frictionlsubstantially parallel terminals, one lof said terminals being providedthroughout its length with a longitudinally disposed thread guide, thefree end of the opposite terminal being provided `with a slot to receivethe free end of the thread, means carried by said terinin'al forsecuring the -free end of the thread thereto, a thread holder mounted atthe j unction of the terminals and frictionally held in place thereby, aretaining member slidably mounted upon said terminals, said threadsecuring means being provided with a cutter, and means disposed tocooperate with the vsliding member and to fit within the slot of one ofthe terminals and clamp the thread.

In'testimony whereof I aix my signature.

ROY CHARLES KLECKNER.

